


Otters

by Shiba_K



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Light Angst, Post-Episode: s08e07 Kill the Moon, living among otters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 16:02:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5831851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiba_K/pseuds/Shiba_K
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes all you need is a bit of advice from your friends. The Doctor is off sulking after the events of Kill the Moon, but can't stop thinking about Clara. Two furry friends help nudge him in the right direction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Otters

**Author's Note:**

> My take on what happened after the TARDIS took off in Kill the Moon. This was written sometime last year and has been sitting in my hard drive ever since. My knowledge of otters is very basic. Apologies for any mistakes in my description of them.

The fragrant summer air was filled with the sounds of bird song coming from a group of trees standing left of a little lake and the little gurgling waterfall. It was only a few feet high but the height difference created by the rocks was enough for the water to fall in gentle waves into the calm surface of the lake. The lake itself wasn’t very deep, its crystal-clear blue waters revealing a sandy bottom while also reflecting the bright sunshine and clear blue skies above it. The view was obscured only when the occasional fish swam close to the bottom, disturbing the sand. Just above the waterfall the rocks formed several rocky outcrops, jagged and eroded by the water and the passage of time. The ledges were the ideal resting places for the otters that had claimed the small lake as their territory. 

During this particular afternoon, many could be found napping in the sun, letting their light brown furry coats dry out in the warm sunlight. Some of the younger ones were playing, chasing each other across the rocks and a hollowed out tree trunk near the sandy shore, running and jumping, squeaking happily at their playmates. Others though were happily watching the fish swimming in the water with keen eyes. 

The sudden and very load splash caused several of the sleeping otters to raise their heads in the direction of the disturbance, squeaking in annoyance at being woken up so rudely. 

*You are never going to catch any fishes if you keep making so much noise when entering the water!* squeaked an otter which was leaning forward on a rock left of the waterfall.

The familiar figure of the Doctor emerged spluttering. He spit out a mouthful of water and sent a dark look to the otter that had just spoken as he treaded water. He offered no reply, preferring instead to glare at the fish he had tried to catch just moments ago now swimming mockingly near his kicking legs, his grey eyes narrowed dangerously. 

*He is too angry to listen, my dear.* Another otter approached them, its squeaks a little deeper than those of the other animal, indicating he was the male. 

*He’s had a fight with the missus again, can’t you tell?* the new otter went on, shaking his head at the wet figure of the Doctor, who with his matted silver hair and angry scowl made a passable impression of a drowned cat. 

The Doctor’s hard grey eyes shifted from the offending fish to the newcomer, sending them a clear message to shut up. 

The male otter let out a sound that resembled a short laugh. *Ah, these women, always making our lives so complicated.* A loud smack followed his comment as the otter standing on the ledge approached and hit her partner with her tail. *Sorry, my dear.* The female otter gave her mate a pointed look. 

The Doctor let out a non-committal sound at the two bickering animals. Frustrated, he decided to give up on catching any fish, and swam the short distance to the shore. When he could touch the bottom with his feet, he walked the remaining distance to the white sand of the shoreline. There he sat in the sun uncaring as the sand stuck to him, his pale skin glistening as drops of water slid off his slender frame and got caught in the wet fabric of his TARDIS blue swimming trunks . 

Pulling his knees up, the Doctor let his elbows rest on them. He wore a sullen expression on his face, eyes downcast and staring unseeing in the distance, the corners of his lips turned downward, and his fierce eyebrows drawn together. 

The pair of otters gave each other worried looks as they watched their human friend sit dejectedly in the warm sand. Simultaneously, they dove into the pond, their slim bodies cutting through the water gracefully. They made no sound as they swam toward the figure of the Doctor. Normally, he would have been fascinated by their elegant movements, but today he had other matters that kept his mind occupied. 

A certain brown-haired and brown-eyed fiery woman invaded his every thought, and especially the harsh words she had thrown at him. And he knew he only had himself to blame for the way he had acted, both on the moon and later when they were in the TARDIS. But his motives had been genuine. He had wanted to show her how much he respected her, and trusted her. He had wanted to show Clara that she could stand on her own, but apparently the only thing he had managed to accomplish was to alienate her. He was quite apt at that it seemed. 

_Yeah, well, clear off! Get back in your lonely TARDIS and you don’t come back._

The Doctor averted his eyes, jaw clenching. Her words still stung now, days later. The sight of the angry tears on her face was burned into his retinas for eternity. Really, he just needed to close his eyes and he was transported back into the console room, the memory of Clara’s hurt and furious eyes, shining with tears tearing at his hearts. 

But her words and her accusations had hurt him too. So he had done just as she had asked, he had taken off, piloted the TARDIS away from Coal Hill, away from Clara Oswald. He had offered her his help, though he clearly wasn’t appreciated, so why stay where he wasn’t wanted? His life did not revolve around Clara. 

He had stubbornly sulked off to this small colony of otters, who had welcomed him once already. They were very intelligent animals, good swimmers and hunters, and surprisingly good novelists. Shame really those pudding brains couldn’t understand them, they would learn a lot from them. 

Yet, after just a few days with them, he had come to realize that whatever peace of mind he had hoped to find when he had come here, it would not be found among his furry friends. Instead, he longed desperately to see a pair of wide chocolate brown eyes and bright smile that never failed to make his old hearts beat a little faster. Two weeks had passed and the need to see her grew stronger every day.

He was reluctant to do so however. The motives behind his actions on the moon had been for a good reason, or he told himself at least. Clara had needed to see he wasn’t infallible, that he was flawed. Sometimes he didn’t have all the answers or solutions, the choices given to him were impossible to make even though he still needed to do so. And some weren’t even his to make. He had wanted her to see him. 

Although maybe she had been right, he had been… what were her words? Patronizing. She had accused him of being patronizing, sweeping the rug from under her feet like that and just _leaving_ , even if he had never meant to abandon her. This was who he was now though. He didn’t do soft and caring anymore. Harsh and cold came to him naturally, despite his good intentions. Unfortunately, Clara had been caught up in the middle of this.

_That was you, my friend, making me scared._

And yet he fought his urge to phone her, ask for her forgiveness. He was an obstinate old man, with a wounded pride and a pair bleeding hearts. None of these things mixed well with apologizing for deeds done wrong. Nor was it in his nature to apologize. He found that too many apologies and the words would lose their meaning after a while. And why do that if you could just run away? There was no need to face the wreckage when you could step into the TARDIS and disappear.

Not that he would be able do that to Clara, nor did he want to. He couldn’t do that to her even if it had indeed been her wish to never see him again. He knew he would go back eventually, back to her, even if it meant keeping his distance and see her from the shadows . Disappearing from her life was simply no longer an option for him. How wrong he had been in his assumptions that his life did not center around a certain impossible girl. Had fooled only his angry self with that lie. 

The Doctor was shaken from his reverie by the gentle touch of two small paws on his upper arm. A pair of black eyes started back at him in concern. 

*This isn’t good for you, you know. You clearly miss her, so why don’t you just call her?* The high-pitched chatter of the otter broke the silence of the lazy afternoon. The younger otters had abandoned their game of chase in favor of napping like their parents in the warm sunlight, leaving the area surrounding the lake calm and quiet. The Doctor held the stare of the furry animal a minute longer before breaking away. Letting out a weary sigh, he shook his head. 

‘It’s useless, she doesn’t want to see me anyway. Besides, I’m sure she is far happier with her boyfriend error right now.’ He was unable to keep the sneer out of his voice when he spoke the last part. Best to try and not to think about PE too much. 

*She was angry when she said that, you both were. And you do owe her an apology for the way you acted,* was his reply. The tone brooked no argument. The Doctor glanced warily at his ship, the TARIDS standing in an isolated corner, away from the rocks and water. The otter nudged his knee in encouragement with her nose, her whiskers tickling him. 

‘I…’ the Doctor trailed off, not really knowing what to say. Deep down he knew the otter was right, but he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive at the thought of hearing Clara’s voice, despite his desire to. What if she hung up on him without even letting him a get word in? What if she really meant not wanting to see him again? Maybe the otters were wrong, and she was done with travelling the universe, done with _him_. 

His head hurt from the countless what-ifs that went through his mind. 

*If my dearest wife has taught me one thing, it is that women change their minds, quite often.* Her partner had joined them on the shore, though he made sure to stay on the other side of the Doctor, his larger body acting as a barrier between him and his mate. 

The TARDIS didn’t translate the indignant squeak that followed. 

*Ahh… ehm, but she also taught me something else,* the otter said in a placating tone. *That you should never keep a lady waiting, no matter what.* With that, he shoved the Doctor’s side with enough force to make him stumble, one arm coming up to brace himself or risk an unfortunate meeting with the sandy shore. 

‘Ok, ok, fine. If just to shut you up and prevent your wife from killing you. I’d hate to see blood spilled on such a fine day,’ the Doctor retorted snidely while picking himself up from the ground. He attempted to brush away the sand sticking to his damp shorts with little luck, giving up quickly. 

He took his time to walk over to the TARDIS, picking his way carefully over the slippery rocks and sleeping otters. Once he stood in front of her doors, he turned around to see the pair of otters watching him, silently supporting him. Twisting back, he opened the small compartment in the wooden door where the phone lay. His hand hovered over the horn, uncertain as the Doctor felt his nerves and doubts manifest themselves, his stomach twisting into knots. 

_Don’t come back._

Her anguished voice made him close his eyes against the memory and the pain it brought. Clara deserved better from him. He would apologize, beg for her forgiveness if he needed to. They couldn’t end like this. Maybe he could give her one last trip, to show her he was sorry and make up for his off-handed treatment of her. Show her the stars one more time, and if afterwards she still decided to leave, well he would tackle that problem when it arose. 

Decision made, he quickly dialed her number before he could change his mind again, his hearts lodged in his throat. 

She picked up at the fourth ring.

His voice left him in a rush, a single word pronounced with heavy emotions. 

‘Clara.’

_Fin_


End file.
